In prior practice the electrode igniter used to produce a spark to ignite pilot burners employed in lighting gas burners such as those used in water heaters was located inside the gas diffuser screen normally surrounding the pilot burner. The present invention locates the electorde ignition igniter outside the screen and beneath an outwardly angularly slanted wall of the screen. Gas supplied to pilot burners for igniting the burner is spread out in a greater area by the slant of the screen wall and forms a pocket of gas beneath the wall. Consequently the electorde igniter can be located within defined tolerance limits in any direction with respect to the pilot burner which eliminates a critical securement of the electrode igniter in a position with respect to the pilot burner.